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Medellin is the only city in Colombia that has a metro system. The system runs along the Valle de Aburra, from La Estrella in the South to Niquia in the North. Changing at San Antonio station in the centre of the city allows you to take a second line which heads west to San Javier. To overcome the challenge faced by any mass transport system operating in a valley surrounded by high, steep mountains, the company constructed a cable car system which has two lines connecting to the main metro lines. One of these metro cable lines goes from Acevedo station to Santo Domingo Savio. It is in Santo Domingo that a new library, “Parque Bibiloteca España, was built about three years ago with the help of a grant from the King and Queen of Spain, hence the name. The library also received a donation of 1500 books from the Prince of Spain, and an award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The library consists of three black towers that really stand out against the background of the houses of the local neighbourhood nestling on the mountainside. I really like the design of the library, which I find very bold and formidable while at the same time being aesthetically beautiful. In a way it gives importance to an area of the city which would otherwise be forgotten. In Santo Domingo it is possible to change to a third metro cable line which takes you up, over the mountains to Parque Arvi, in Santa Elena. The distance covered is just over 4.5 kilometres and the journey takes almost fifteen minutes. Santa Elena is famous for its “silleteros,” and the Medellin Flower Festival. It is here they grow the flowers used in the festival and make all the displays (silletas) which they parade through the streets of Medellin on their backs during the festival in August.You can read more about the Flower Festival here.

Parque Arvi covers an area of 1761 hectares and there is no admission fee, however, within the boundaries of the park there is another park, Piedras Blancas, owned by Comfenalco which has an entrance fee and also a hotel. I have been to Piedras Blancas before for a day and I enjoyed it, however, in this post I want to concentrate on the free to visit part of Parque Arvi. The region of Santa Elena comprises of eleven small villages and covers an area of over 70 square kilometres. The climate in the region is between 12°c y 17°c, which for me, coming from a country that has four seasons, is cool, but for Colombians, who are not used to the extreme temperatures of winter, this is cold. The area is situated between two valleys with an altitude of between 2,200 and 2,600 metres. Santa Elena is part of Medellin and is what is called in Spanish a “corregimiento.” Arriving by metro cable you alight in the area known as Tambo. The park has different areas which they refer to as nuclei. In the Tambo nucleus you can orient yourself and get information about the park and the options available for exploring it. When I visited, I went by car as we took our two dogs with us; however, from where we parked it was only a short walk to this area. There are six nuclei in total, Tambo, Comfenalco, Laguna, Biodiversidad, Mazo and Comfama. The last two are currently under construction.There is a farmer’s market on the last Sunday of every month where local people sell a wide range of fresh local produce. The market is from 9:00am to 5:00pm with 59 stalls, if you are there on the last Sunday of the month take the time to visit the market and help the local people by buying some of their goods.

Arvi has a wide range of fauna and flora, with 540 different species of plants, approximately 70 different species of birds, 19 species of mammals and 72 different species of butterflies having been documented in the park. There are also various species of reptiles and amphibians. There are many, well signposted, paths you can take to get some exercise and explore the park’s natural beauty, and there are also guided walks of different distances available throughout the day. I have taken one of these walks and can certainly recommend this as a great way to get to know the park. There are four signposted routes you can follow and three more under construction. They are; Biodiverso, Ancestral, La Flora and Arroyuelo. Those being prepared at the moment are; Embrujado, Arrierías and El Molino. The park also has a picnic area, though this can get busy and somewhat noisy for my liking especially at weekends, and is not really my cup of tea. For me the park is about being close to, and interacting with, nature. It’s about walking, getting exercise, breathing fresh mountain air, seeing and learning about the region’s fauna and flora, and how it is possible to live in harmony with nature. For me the beauty of Parque ARVi, is its natural, unspoilt state. It’s an excellent place to visit if you want to escape from the noise and congestion of the city, and with the metro and metro cable access couldn’t be easier. If you are in Medellin, take the time to visit Parque Arvi, it’s well worth it and will give you a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the city.If you would like to receive email notifications of updates to this site click here, fill in the relevant details and press submit.